We are back after the international break for the first instalment of this season’s FA Cup quarter-finals as Manchester City take on Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. This blockbuster tie pits English football’s two most dominant forces of the last decade against each other in what is a massive match for both sides.
Last month, Man City’s season looked like it could completely unravel. Consecutive Premier League draws against Nottingham Forest and West Ham United meant City lost crucial ground in the title race. In Europe, they were resoundingly beaten 5-1 on aggregate by Real Madrid in the Champions League round of 16.
However, City’s modern history has been built upon success and silverware. Pep Guardiola’s men are an unrivalled domestic powerhouse, and they flexed every muscle of trophy-winning prowess when they beat Arsenal 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final.
Has that victory reignited City’s optimism and given the squad a new lease of life? Now, without Champions League football, City have an eight-day gap between this fixture and their next outing, a top-flight match away against Chelsea next Sunday. Guardiola has always taken the cup competitions in England very seriously, and you would expect him to dip into his extraordinarily deep squad and field a typically strong line-up to continue City’s charge for domestic silverware.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s season precariously hangs in the balance. They’re through to the last eight of the Champions League, following their 4-0 thrashing of Galatasaray at Anfield, but face a daunting quarter-final clash against reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain, with the first leg in the French capital on Wednesday.
In the Premier League, Liverpool are fighting for a top-five place but have been terribly inconsistent, winless in their last three games in the competition, which included a deserved 2-1 loss against Brighton on 21 March. An FA Cup run would do wonders for their campaign and help ease the pressure on manager Arne Slot.
Kick-off is at 12:45 BST, with line-ups on the way shortly.